Zak Hanna of Newcastle AC and Aaron McGrady of East Down AC, both from Northern Ireland, earned spots on the Ireland team for the uphill race at the 2026 European Athletics Off-Road Championships in Slovenia.

The pair qualified after competing in the NIMRA Uphill Running Trial in Wicklow on Friday. Hanna took first place on the 6.5km course with 700m of climbing to the summit of Djouce. McGrady finished second.

Hanna placed fourth at the European Championships in 2022. He also finished fifth at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships that year.

McGrady debuted for Ireland at the 2023 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. He has represented the country each year since then.

The championships take place on 5 June in Kamnik, Slovenia. The uphill course covers 9km with 1,250m of vertical climb.